Find A Helpline

If you are in danger right now

If you are thinking about suicide or self-harm, or you are not safe, contact your local emergency services or a crisis line now. Find A Helpline is the quickest way to find the right number for where you are. In India you can also call Tele-MANAS on 14416. Sefism is not a medical or crisis service.

What it is

Find A Helpline is a free directory of emotional support and crisis services, built and maintained by ThroughLine, a company that verifies helpline details directly with the organisations that run them. The site says it has relationships with helplines and crisis centres in more than 175 countries. It is the same data many large apps and platforms use when they show a "need help?" box.

What you get

• Search by country. It detects your location or you pick a country, then it lists the services there.
• Filter by topic. Suicidal thoughts, self-harm, anxiety, abuse and domestic violence, loneliness, family and relationships, LGBTQ+ support and more.
• Ways to reach them. Each listing shows whether the service takes calls, texts, web chat or WhatsApp, and when it is open.
• Anonymous and free. You do not need an account, and the directory itself costs nothing.

Numbers and hours change, so the directory is safer than a number you saved two years ago.

Who it suits

Everyone: students away from home, people living abroad who do not know the local services, and anyone helping a friend find support. If you study or work in another country, look up that country, not your home one.

How to use it well

• Look it up before you need it. Find two services for your country now and save them in your phone.
• Check the hours. Many lines are not open around the clock; note which one is.
• For a friend, sit with them while they call or chat, if they want that.
• If no line answers and you are in danger, call emergency services.

Pair it with on Sefism

• Stage 1 of the Looking after your mental health roadmap covers crisis help, warning signs and how to support a friend.
• In Pakistan, see Umang and Rozan Counselling Helpline; in India, Tele-MANAS; worldwide, Befrienders Worldwide.
• To build people you can lean on before things get hard, follow Building your support system.
• For anything that is not urgent, you can also ask Tauseef a question.

Best for: finding a verified crisis line or helpline in your country, fast.